


In the Darkest Hour

by calhale, setralynn



Series: Miles To Go [8]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Bathing/Washing, Dean/Roman Primary, Discussion Of Collaring, Discussion of BDSM Training, Discussion of Negotiated Open Relationship, Dom/sub, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, No Sex, Non-Assumed Consent, Recent Past Non-Con, Reconciliation, Relationship Negotiations, appologies, consensual cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-30 09:49:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12651144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calhale/pseuds/calhale, https://archiveofourown.org/users/setralynn/pseuds/setralynn
Summary: Dean made it out and to relative safety. But who will find him and can Roman put him back together?





	In the Darkest Hour

**Author's Note:**

> Notes for the physical and emotional aftermath of "All That Remains" it's not exactly pretty.  
> Please be aware and protect yourself. This is hopefully a healing chapter.
> 
> As noted previously, last year was a great time for SmackDown. If you have access, and are wondering what the hell was happening on screen, check that stuff out. Dean was fun as hell to watch, even if he was spinning out of control.

Dean is bruised and only has a sheet for clothing when he crawls out of AJ's room and looks around desperately. AJ passed out from drinking too much after pretty much leaving Dean tied to the bed with no way out. Dean's wrists are raw from the robes but he finally broke the wood paneling and escaped. Now he's alone, beaten, bleeding in some not nice places, and in desperate need to find someone to call Roman. He doesn't quite manage to knock on the Uso's door before passing out himself.

It's Jey that opens the door, hearing a low thump outside and knowing that Naomi and Jimmy won't budge without a lot more stirring than that. It takes him a moment to process what he's seeing and then he's back inside the room, shaking his brother awake. "Need your help, uce. Some shit's going down." With the two of them, they manage to get Dean inside, both a bit awkward when they realize that he's totally naked. Dean doesn't stir at all while they move him, which is actually scarier. Once he's safely on their couch and still unconscious, Jey texts Roman. 

[You better get the hell over here, uce. Dean just showed up on our doorstep, naked and beat to shit.]

Roman doesn't wake up to the text, but he wakes twenty minutes later at Jimmy's phone call. It's only ten minutes before he's in the car, driving from Baltimore back to Richmond. He may break several state laws, but it's less than two hours before he's throwing his keys to the confused overnight valet and charging up to the desk, getting a room and not even stopping at it before he's pounding on the door and barely pausing to give Jimmy and Jey quick hugs before he's on his knees beside Dean, stroking his hair back from his face as gently as possible. "Dean, baby, you awake?"

Dean finally manages to make his eyes open when he hears Roman's voice. He lifts one of his hands to touch Roman's cheek and realizes that both his wrist is still bound with cheap synthetic rope. He lets out a dry sob. "I'm so sorry Sir. Please forgive me. Please take me back." He begs desperately and half falls off the couch and into Roman's arms. He's a bit too large and lanky for him to fit comfortably there in his current state but he doesn't know what else to do.

Roman's arms close around Dean automatically, settling back to the floor to make his lap more accommodating and smoothing his hands over every part of Dean that he can reach. "Shhh, nothing to forgive pet. God, what have I done to you?" He works slowly, removing the cheap, too-rough ropes from where they're still looped around Dean's wrists. There's an awkward throat clearing behind him and Roman looks up at his cousins with desperate eyes. "Shit. Sorry boys, I can't... I got another room.” He hold out the room key, but can’t bring himself to let go of Dean. “Can we use this one?" He doesn't dare move Dean right now.

“Yeah man.” Jey says with a sad shrug, just as his brother agrees, “Yeah.”

“Sort this shit out.” Naomi says firmly, laying a hand against Roman’s shoulder before she moves to pack up her stuff. They mostly just collapsed last night after the big show, so there’s not much spread out in the room.

Dean shivers and huddles in closer to Roman as the Usos and Naomi grab their stuff and head out, giving him worried looks that he can’t bear to think about right now. "I'm so sorry Sir. I should never have let AJ do this but I missed you so much and I didn't know how to tell you. I'm sorry." He babbles against Roman's chest. He doesn't feel worthy to look Roman in the eye.

"Shhh, hush pet. You're safe." He shifts to lean back against the couch. "Don't be sorry. This wasn't you... And he'll never touch you again." He says, murmuring into Dean's hair. "Never." He just holds Dean for a minute. "I need to talk to you about that but... Can we clean you up first?" He asks gently, because he needs Dean's consent for anything right now. He won't take that power from him until it's offered.

Dean shakes a little bit. "I let him... I let him do things to me. I'm so sorry." Dean apologizes for the wounds Roman is going to see on him. AJ fucked him raw again and he's bleeding around his hole. His wrists are bruised and ripped up as well as his chest and his back. There are tiny cuts all over his body and his face from when AJ made him lick his own cum off the championship belt. He nods thought at being cleaned up.

"And he'll get what's coming to him, I promise you, babe." Roman growls, trying and failing to keep his voice level. He pulls Dean gently to his feet, supporting him to the bathroom and sitting him gently on the closed toilet while he runs warm water into the tub. "Because what he did to you, he did to me, Dean." He kneels between Dean's knees while the tub fills. He gently removes the sheet that's still tangled around Dean, drawing in a sharp breath at the layers of bruises and new tiny cuts on Dean's skin. He carefully tries to control his breathing as he dips a soft towel in the bath water, starting to delicately clean Dean's skin, starting with his arms. The abrasions from the rope may be more recent, but at least Dean can watch and see that Roman isn’t trying to hurt him. "Fuck, Dean..." Roman kisses Dean's palm gently once it's clean. "Fuck, I'm so sorry."

As the sheet is removed and more and more of Dean's abused body is exposed, Dean has to look away in shame. "I tried to say stop. I said no, but I couldn’t say Shield. And I tapped, but he wouldn’t…” Dean shakes a little, biting his lip despite the pain of the cuts. “Then I didn't have any way to say no. I should have been stronger. I could have stopped him." Dean tries to explain because he's an athlete and he is strong and capable. He could have over-powered AJ if he’d tried, but he didn’t.

Roman has to clench his teeth to control his rage as Dean talks. He pauses in his gentle cleaning to use two fingers to tilt Dean's chin up and meet his eyes. "This isn't your fault, Dean. He betrayed your trust, and he'll pay for that." He sounds completely certain, because AJ Styles has just brought the wrath of god down on himself, whether he knows it or not. "You got here, Dean. And you're safe. That's enough."

Dean looks down at Roman and has to just nod and thank any gods there could possibly be that Roman is here and still wants him. "I got all your messages over the last couple weeks last night. I thought it was lost... but AJ had my phone and kept it. I'm sorry I didn't reply. I’ve been... there's been a lot going on and now I don't even have our title anymore." Dean starts to explain why they haven't talked in a few weeks.

Roman wants desperately to punch something, AJ Styles's face would be ideal, but he keeps himself under control. "I know... I saw the show tonight." He swallows, "I shouldn't have left you alone for so long. I'm sorry." He turns off the water and helps Dean stand to step into it. Taking in the ruined mess of Dean's back and hissing in worry at the evidence of blood on his thighs and ass.

There's still cum dribbling out of his ass and it stings even worse as he sits down in the deep soak tub. He bites his lip and looks up at Roman. "Do you want to get in with me?" He asks hesitantly because he really doesn't want to be alone but doesn't know if he can ask for that yet. "There's plenty of room. It's a nice hotel this time."

Roman sighs sadly, silently a bit relieved that Dean can ask for what he wants. It’s a good sign. "Of course I do, pet." He realizes belatedly that he's still fully clothed, and starts to strip, quick but methodical and folding the clothes even though they're just his gym sweats. “Can I hold you?” He asks before he plans their position, but Dean’s hesitant nod makes him want to scream.  
Roman slides into the water carefully, narrating what he’s doing and maneuvering Dean so that Roman can sit behind him and have Dean between his legs. Just having his arms around Dean feels so right and he can't imagine how he survived the last few weeks without it. "I'm so proud of you for coming back to me." He says firmly, lips against Dean's shoulder.

Roman's quiet praise makes Dean smile for the first time in a few days. "I wanted to a while ago… before my phone. But Seth said you were busy ummm taking care of stuff. I didn't know what that meant." Dean explains as Roman starts to slowly clean his back with the wash cloth.

“Then after, I lost my phone, and I never heard... so I didn’t know.... I should never have left you.” Dean draws in a shakey breath as Roman hits a particularly tender spot and stops talking.

Roman smiles sadly, just a shift of his lips against Dean's skin. "Seth could have told you where I was. Shifty bastard. But I guess it's better this way." He says softly, "I was in LA, finishing my training. But I had to be out of contact for a day or two." Roman lets his hands slide around Dean's waist, gently caressing the skin. "I didn't realize I'd been being so cruel to you all this time." He admits softly, and the real apology will come later.

Dean takes in a short gasp at the realization Roman went back. "What? Really? You finished training, but why? You always said it was fine without…” Roman’s appology finaly hits him and Dean tries to turn around to look at him. “What are you talking about? You never hurt me!" Dean rambles because he can't figure out how to process this.

"But I never claimed you either." Roman says, soft and serious. "After taking that time, listening to other Doms... I realize I was wrong." He lets Dean turn to half-face him, and leans into to kiss his cheek and his forehead as gently as possible. "It was never because I didn't want you. I was wrong not to do it properly, and it hurt you, whether you wanted me to know or not."

Dean has to close his eyes because he can't believe this is actually real. He leans his forehead against the side of Roman’s face. "Pinch me Ro... pinch me or slap me or hit me or make me feel _something_ because this can't be real. Why aren't you mad at me?" The implication that Roman went back to California to finish training as a Dom is impossible and the idea that he still wants to collar Dean... he can't be that hopeful.

Roman chuckles and thinks for a second and then picks a spot on Dean's neck and bited him sharply before he sucks a dark hickey there. "Feel that?" Roman asks with a smirk, trying to believe that they will be ok and that he hasn’t fucked this up with his last two years of idiocy. "I'm not mad because you've done nothing wrong, sweetheart. You gave me everything, and I got complacent. I assumed we were fine when we weren't." He still feels awful, remembering letting Dean walk away. "I should have started fighting for you months ago, maybe years, and I'm only realizing it now."

The bite is hard and brutal and makes Dean moan. As Roman holds the moment and marks him, Dean’s whole body relaxes at the claiming gesture and he settles more naturally against Roman's body. He shifts back to sitting back-to-front with Roman and slumps back against him. "Ro... this is impossible. I'm not gonna cry."

Roman relaxes a little as Dean goes limp against him. "It's real, pet." He purrs into Dean's ear. "I know you're not ready now. You need time. But I have the collar with me, if you want it." He grabs the washcloth and keeps working slowly on the parts of Dean that aren't under the water, cleaning his chest and shoulders gently, mostly just enjoying having Dean with him. "I should never have let him touch you. Should have made sure you were ok..." He has so many regrets that he has to choke them back.

Dean shakes his head and then nuzzles against Roman's jaw. "No, I should have been stronger and spoke up sooner. I was complacent too and thought you would just understand without me having to say anything.” Dean still hates talking this much, but he has to make Roman understand. “And I want it. I do. But I don't need it right now. I don't think I can let myself back into that space. I can't just obey you right now, even if I want to."

Roman nods, "I know, babe. I know this is us starting over. I just wanted you to know that it’s here. I'll work to deserve you again." He lets one hand stroke Dean's throat gently before returning his hand to safer territory. "Can I ask..." He starts hesitantly after a moment of quiet, not wanting to tax Dean, but wanting to keep him talking a little. "Why didn't you fight him? It's not your fault and he's still an asshole, but you said it and I know you could have kicked his ass if you needed to."

Dean lets out a long exhale. "I was scared. I know it's stupid but I couldn't think about losing another Dom and honestly I was wasted for days... maybe the whole week. Two weeks? When he started last night, I knew I didn’t want it, but I let it… and I tried to tap, but he didn’t stop.” He ducks his head, voice almost inaudible. “I figured you would never want me back. AJ said he was all I had left."

That makes Roman's stomach knot itself up in deeply unpleasant ways. "I'm so sorry." He says, stroking Dean's hip and side under the water. His fingers are getting pruny in the water, and he's cleaned about all he can from Dean's skin. The rest will take longer. "You ready to get out, babe? We can at least get you dry and keep you warm..."

Dean looks down at the water. It's murky with grime and blood and Dean desperately wants to clean the dried cum out of his hair but doesn't want to put his head in that so he reaches out for the water spout and turns it on again so he can put his head directly under the gushing torrent. When he pulls back he shakes his head and sends water everywhere before running his hands through his hair to release the dried mess. It'll need real shampoo and soap to get rid of all of it but he feels better now. "We can go now."

Roman splutters and laughs a little as Dean' half-drenches them both getting his hair clean. He helps Dean get out and between them they use every towel in the bathroom to dry off. He gets Dean onto the bed and then realizes that he literally has nothing else with him. "Shit, I... kinda left all my stuff in the car." He says apologetically, knowing that Dean has nothing with him either. Jimmy explained that on the phone. Roman retrieves his clothes from the bathroom and offers the shirt to Dean. "If I at least get pants on, I can go down and get my bag."

Dean pushes the shirt away and make Roman put it on with his sweats. "I'll be ok for now. Go get your stuff." Dean pauses and pulls Roman in for short sweet kiss. "Don't be gone too long."

"I swear." Roman says, returning that kiss. He pulls on his clothes and grabs one of his cousins’ abandoned room keys. Getting down to the front and retrieving his bags with a minimum of grumbling from the front desk.

Roman’s clothes have never been the right size for Dean, but Roman lends him some anyway. In the morning they’ll go find new clothes, because if Roman sees AJ right now, the fight will be very real and very unsanctioned. Dean barely stays awake long enough to pull the pajamas on and then curls against Roman’s side like he’s afraid Roman will leave again. Trying to calm himself down in the darkened hotel room, Roman swears to himself that he won’t.

**Author's Note:**

> I know this probably isn't the story people want more of at the moment (and there is more for Barrista!Baron and that AU to come), but after nearly a year I think closure is important to this part of the story.
> 
> Next Time - How long does Roman think Dean needs to bounce back?


End file.
